The present invention relates to a motor vehicle seat having an air supply device and, more particularly, to a seat and air supply device by means of which an air flow can be made to flow through a ventilation layer of the cushion of the seat in order to ventilate the seat and/or in order to heat the seat, and having an air outflow opening of the air supply device, which air outflow opening is arranged in the upper region of the seat and via which the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant can be acted upon by an air flow, the air supply device being assigned a fan.
DE 100 54 008 A1 shows a motor vehicle seat, in which an air flow originating from the air supply device can be made to flow through the ventilation layer of the cushion of a seat cushion or of a back rest in order to ventilate the seat and/or in order to heat the seat. In addition, the air supply device shown there comprises an air outflow opening in the upper region of the seat, via which air outflow opening the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant can be supplied with an air flow. In this case, the ventilation layer of the cushion and the air outflow opening in the upper region of the seat are supplied with air via a common fan.
An object of the present invention to provide a motor vehicle seat in which the air supplies of the cushion and of the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant can be combined with one another more universally.
This object has been achieved according to the invention by the fan can be supplied with air from the ventilation layer of the cushion of the seat in order to generate the air flow for the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant.
In the air supply device of the motor vehicle seat according to the present invention, the fan can be supplied with air from the ventilation layer of the cushion of the seat in order to generate the air flow for the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant, so that the air which is used in any case in order to ventilate the seat and/or in order to heat the seat can also be used in order to act upon the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant. It is thus possible, for example, to enable the air in the ventilation layer to be preheated via the seat heating system in order subsequently to transfer it by way of the fan—optionally with heating by a further heating element—to the air outflow opening. Because the air for generating the air flow for the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant passes within the ventilation layer as far as the inlet of the fan, no additional ducting needs to be provided at least in this region.
In an advantageous refinement of the invention, the ventilation layer is arranged on the suction side of the fan which generates the air flow to the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant. During operation of the fan, air is thereby sucked up from the ventilation layer and at the same time air is made to flow through the ventilation layer in order to ventilate the seat. The sucked-up air is then further transported by the fan to the air outflow opening in the upper region of the seat.
A particularly advantageous construction of the cushion arises by arranging air inlet openings of the ventilation layer in the vicinity of the edge side of the cushion, and the air suction opening of the fan is provided in a central region of the cushion. By way of this arrangement, the path of the air flow between the air inlet opening of the ventilation layer and the air suction opening of the fan is approximately the same length from all sides of the cushion, with the result that a very homogeneous distribution of air is produced within the ventilation layer.
A regulating element can be provided between the fan and the air outflow opening for the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant and can be used to allow at least part of the air flow generated in the fan to flow to an air outlet. If, for example, more air is required in the ventilation layer in order to ventilate the seat than is needed at the air outflow opening in order to supply the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant, this air flow can be correspondingly minimized or can even be entirely suppressed via the regulating element. The excess air is correspondingly discharged via the air outlet.
In addition, a further regulating element can be provided between the ventilation layer of the cushion and the fan, and can be used to supply the fan with air from outside the ventilation layer. If, accordingly, relatively little or even no air is required within the ventilation layer, then the fan can also be supplied with air from outside the ventilation layer in order to generate the air flow for the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant. In other words, the fan can be fed with air from the ventilation layer and/or from outside the ventilation layer in order to generate the air flow for the head, shoulder and neck region of the seat occupant.